The present invention is directed to an improved magnet device for adhering to a magnetic or magnetizable surface and retaining, e.g., articles such as paper between the device and surface, whereby reliability of magnetic attraction and ultimate retention against the surface is improved.
Various devices for magnetically adhering to surfaces are known, e.g., magnets for adhering to refrigerators, etc. In this regard, structures containing permanent magnets are also known, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,253 showing a block having a magnetic body therein and U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,534 showing a block having a metal ball therein which can be attracted to magnetic objects. Furthermore, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/642,312 filed Aug. 15, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein, discloses various embodiments of devices containing permanent magnets and in various polygonal shapes, whereby the respective devices can adhere to an outer magnetic/magnetizable surface to display decorative patterns and/or lettering imprinted thereon.
The permanent magnets found in these devices can take any number of shapes but are preferably disk-shaped with the primary magnetic lines of force emanating from and around the flat circular surfaces of the magnets. Accordingly, the magnets in such devices can generally rest against any of the surfaces of the container therefor, e.g., with the flat surface of the disk-shaped magnet resting against an inner flat surface of a chamber containing the same, in the absence of an outer magnetic/magnetizable surface nearby. When the device is then brought close to the magnetic/magnetizable surface, the magnet inside the container will then “jump” or “flip”, i.e., be attracted to the outer surface through the adjacent wall of the container. Normally, the magnet might turn as much as 90 degrees, i.e., a right angle, to orient the flat circular surface thereof against a wall of the container extending normally to the wall against which the flat circular surface of the magnet had previously rested.
However, it has been found where a magnet is, e.g., substantially in the shape of a disk and resting against one interior surface of the container, the magnet does not necessarily easily turn 90 degrees to face a normally-extending surface of the container that is brought against an outer magnetic/magnetizable surface such as a steel surface. This is especially true where the outer container is in the shape of a cylinder or spindle and the normal surface is the longitudinally-extending curved surface of the spindle. Accordingly, magnetic attraction between the contained magnet and outer steel surface might not be reliably ensured, with it being necessary for a user to shake the device to properly orient the magnet therein (such shaking could easily damage the magnetic device). This 90 degree turning of a disk-shaped magnet is especially problematic the closer in shape to a cylinder or spindle the main body of the device containing the magnet.